Surgical treatment of occipital lobe epilepsy

2008 ◽  
Vol 109 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Devin K. Binder ◽  
Marec Von Lehe ◽  
Thomas Kral ◽  
Christian G. Bien ◽  
Horst Urbach ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Field ◽  
Mr Imaging ◽  
Vascular Malformations ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Intractable Epilepsy ◽  
Occipital Lobe ◽  
Class I ◽  
Seizure Outcome ◽  
Occipital Lobe Epilepsy ◽  
Visual Field Deficits

Object Occipital lobe epilepsy (OLE) accounts for a small percentage of extratemporal epilepsies and only few and mostly small patient series have been reported. Preoperative findings, surgical strategies, histopathological bases, and postoperative outcomes for OLE remain to be elucidated. Methods A group of 54 patients with occipital lobe involvement were identified from a prospective epilepsy surgery database established in 1989. Medical charts, surgical reports, MR imaging, and histopathology data were reviewed, and patients with additional temporal and/or parietal involvement were categorized separately. Seizure outcome was classified according to the Engel classification scheme (Classes I–IV). Two patients were excluded due to incomplete data sets. Fifty-two patients with intractable epilepsy involving predominantly the occipital lobe were included in the study, comprising 17.8% of 292 patients undergoing operations for extratemporal epilepsies. Results In nearly all cases (50 [96.2%] of 52), a structural lesion was visible on preoperative MR imaging. Of these cases, 29 (55.8%) had “pure” OLE with no temporal or parietal lobe involvement. Most patients (83%) had complex partial seizures, and 60% also had generalized seizures. All patients underwent occipital lesionectomies or topectomies; 9 patients (17.3%) underwent additional multiple subpial transections. Histopathology results revealed 9 cortical dysplasias (17.3%), 9 gangliogliomas (17.3%), 6 other tumors (11.5%), 13 vascular malformations (25%), and 15 glial scars (28.8%). Visual field deficits were present in 36.4% of patients preoperatively, and 42.4% had new or aggravated visual field deficits after surgery. After a mean follow-up of 80 months, 36 patients were seizure free (69.2% Engel Class I), 4 rarely had seizures (7.7% Engel Class II), 8 improved more than 75% (15.4% Engel Class III), and 4 had no significant improvement (7.7% Engel Class IV). Multifactorial logistic regression analysis revealed that early age at epilepsy manifestation (p = 0.031) and shorter epilepsy duration (p = 0.004) were predictive of better seizure control. All other clinical and surgical factors were not significant in predicting outcome. Conclusions Occipital lobe epilepsy is an infrequent but significant cause of extratemporal epilepsy. Satisfactory results (Engel Class I or II) were obtained in 77% of patients in our series. Postoperative visual field deficits occurred in a significant proportion of patients. In the modern MR imaging era, lesions should be investigated in patients with OLE and lesionectomies should be performed early for a better outcome.

Occipital Lobe Vascular Malformations: Prevalence of Visual Field Deficits and Prognosis after Therapeutic Intervention

Neurosurgery ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 415-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Bartolomei ◽  
Daniel A. Wecht ◽  
John Chaloupka ◽  
Pierre Fayad ◽  
Issam A. Awad
Keyword(s):  
Visual Field ◽  
Therapeutic Intervention ◽  
Vascular Malformations ◽  
Occipital Lobe ◽  
Visual Field Deficits

Temporoparietooccipital disconnection in children with intractable epilepsy

2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 660-670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad R. Mohamed ◽  
Jeremy L. Freeman ◽  
Wirginia Maixner ◽  
Catherine A. Bailey ◽  
Jacquie A. Wrennall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mr Imaging ◽  
Intractable Epilepsy ◽  
Motor Deficits ◽  
Seizure Outcome ◽  
Developmental Progress ◽  
Generalized Seizures ◽  
Signal Change ◽  
Posterior Quadrant ◽  
Epileptogenic Lesion

Object Temporoparietooccipital (TPO) disconnection is described mainly in children with diffuse posterior quadrant lesions and concordant electroencephalography (EEG) findings. The authors report on 16 children who underwent TPO surgery, including 4 with no definite epileptogenic lesion and 8 with generalized electroclinical manifestations. Methods The authors conducted a retrospective review of clinical, neuropsychological, EEG, imaging, and histopathological data in 16 children with intractable epilepsy who underwent TPO disconnection and/or resection at their center between December 1998 and March 2010. Results Seizure onset occurred between the ages of 1 and 24 months, and TPO surgery was performed between the ages of 0.2 and 17 years. All children had refractory seizures, including epileptic spasms in 10 and tonic seizures in 7, and all had developmental delay. Twelve children had epileptogenic lesions on MR imaging, including 6 with posterior quadrant dysplasia. Four children had only subtle white matter signal change or unusual sulcation on MR imaging, associated with subtle but concordant EEG and functional imaging abnormalities. After a mean follow-up of 52 months (range 12–114 months), 9 children (56%) are seizure-free and 5 (31%) experienced seizure reduction of greater than 50%. Focal or regional background slowing on EEG was correlated with favorable seizure outcome. Five children showed developmental progress and 3 had acceleration in development following surgery. None of the children developed new motor deficits postoperatively. Conclusions Temporoparietooccipital disconnection is an effective, motor-sparing epilepsy surgery procedure for selected children with refractory focal or generalized seizures with localization to the posterior quadrant on 1 side, with or without a discrete lesion on MR imaging.

Tailored Temporal Lobectomy for Medically Intractable Epilepsy

Neurosurgery ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 703-709 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven M. Falowski ◽  
David Wallace ◽  
Andres Kanner ◽  
Michael Smith ◽  
Michael Rossi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Lobe ◽  
Hippocampal Sclerosis ◽  
Intractable Epilepsy ◽  
Temporal Lobectomy ◽  
Class I ◽  
Visual Field Defects ◽  
Seizure Outcome ◽  
Temporal Lobe Resection ◽  
Generalized Epilepsy

Abstract BACKGROUND: There have been only a few large series that have used a tailored temporal lobectomy. OBJECTIVE: To clarify whether tailoring a temporal lobe resection will lead to equivalent epilepsy outcomes or have the same predictive factors for success when compared with standard resections. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 222 patients undergoing a tailored temporal lobe resection. Demographic measures and typical factors influencing outcome were evaluated. RESULTS: Pathology included 222 cases. With a mean follow-up of 5.4 years, 70% of patients achieved Engel class I outcome. A significant factor predicting Engel class I outcome on multivariate analysis was lesional pathology (P = .04). Among patients with hippocampal sclerosis, extent of lateral neocortical resection and hippocampal resection were not statistically associated with Engel class I outcome (P = .93 and P = .24). However, an analysis of Engel class subgroups a to d showed that patients who had a complete hippocampectomy in the total series were more likely to achieve an Engel class Ia outcome (P = .04). This was also true among patients with hippocampal sclerosis (P = .03). Secondarily, generalized seizure (P = .01) predicted outcome less than Engel class I. Predictive of poor outcome was the need for preoperative electrodes (P = .02). Complications included superior quadrant visual field defects, 2 cases of permanent dysphasia, and 3 wound infections. CONCLUSION: Predictors of successful seizure outcome for a tailored temporal lobectomy are similar to standard lobectomy. Patients with secondarily generalized epilepsy and cases in which preoperative subdural electrodes were thought necessary were less likely to achieve class I outcome. Among Engel class I cases, those who had a complete hippocampectomy were more likely to achieve Engel class Ia outcome.

Neuro-ophthalmological function of patients with pineal region tumors approached transtentorially in the semisitting position

1992 ◽  
Vol 76 (5) ◽  
pp. 746-751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jules M. Nazzaro ◽  
William T. Shults ◽  
Edward A. Neuwelt
Keyword(s):  
Visual Field ◽  
Postoperative Period ◽  
Visual Fields ◽  
Occipital Lobe ◽  
Pineal Region ◽  
Motor Dysfunction ◽  
Homonymous Hemianopsia ◽  
Pineal Region Tumors ◽  
Cranial Nerve Palsies ◽  
Visual Field Deficits

✓ To optimize orientation and operative exposure for aggressive resection, the authors approached pineal region tumors transtentorially with the patient in a semisitting position. In the current report, 12 consecutive patients were evaluated to document operative ocular morbidity referable to the brain stem as well as visual deficits secondary to occipital lobe retraction. Before craniotomy, ophthalmological findings related to dorsal midbrain dysfunction were evident in four of the 10 patients who had previously undergone ventricular shunting. The other patients developed a partial or complete Parinaud's syndrome in the early postoperative period and some suffered additional deficits such as cranial nerve palsies. These deficits improved to varying degrees in all patients. Although each had full visual fields preoperatively, an absolute or incomplete left homonymous hemianopsia developed in the immediate postoperative period. Such visual field deficits fully resolved over a variable period of time in 10 of the 12 patients. One patient has a permanent left homonymous hemianopsia, while another has a left homonymous paracentral scotoma. Eight patients were able to return to preoperative pursuits. While ocular abnormalities related to dorsal midbrain dysfunction are most probably independent of operative approach, visual field deficits attributable to occipital lobe retraction were common in patients after a occipital transtentorial approach performed in the semisitting position. Reading difficulties associated with ocular motor dysfunction due to dorsal midbrain involvement represent the principal long-term neuro-ophthalmological complaint of patients who have undergone pineal region surgery.

scholarly journals Relationship between cortical resection and visual function after occipital lobe epilepsy surgery

2018 ◽  
Vol 129 (2) ◽  
pp. 524-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Won Heo ◽  
June Sic Kim ◽  
Chun Kee Chung ◽  
Sang Kun Lee
Keyword(s):  
Visual Field ◽  
Visual Function ◽  
Peripheral Vision ◽  
Occipital Lobe ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Occipital Lobe Epilepsy ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Normal Visual Field ◽  
Visual Cortical ◽  
The Relationship

OBJECTIVEIn this study, the authors investigated long-term clinical and visual outcomes of patients after occipital lobe epilepsy (OLE) surgery and analyzed the relationship between visual cortical resection and visual function after OLE surgery.METHODSA total of 42 consecutive patients who were diagnosed with OLE and underwent occipital lobe resection between June 1995 and November 2013 were included. Clinical, radiological, and histopathological data were reviewed retrospectively. Seizure outcomes were categorized according to the Engel classification. Visual function after surgery was assessed using the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire 25. The relationship between the resected area of the visual cortex and visual function was demonstrated by multivariate linear regression models.RESULTSAfter a mean follow-up period of 102.2 months, 27 (64.3%) patients were seizure free, and 6 (14.3%) patients had an Engel Class II outcome. Nineteen (57.6%) of 33 patients had a normal visual field or quadrantanopia after surgery (normal and quadrantanopia groups). Patients in the normal and quadrantanopia groups had better vision-related quality of life than those in the hemianopsia group. The resection of lateral occipital areas 1 and 2 of the occipital lobe was significantly associated with difficulties in general vision, peripheral vision, and vision-specific roles. In addition, the resection of intraparietal sulcus 3 or 4 was significantly associated with decreased social functioning.CONCLUSIONSThe authors found a favorable seizure control rate (Engel Class I or II) of 78.6%, and 57.6% of the subjects had good visual function (normal vision or quadrantanopia) after OLE surgery. Lateral occipital cortical resection had a significant effect on visual function despite preservation of the visual field.

Occipital epilepsy: spatial categorization and surgical management

2009 ◽  
Vol 110 (2) ◽  
pp. 306-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nitin Tandon ◽  
Andreas V. Alexopoulos ◽  
Ann Warbel ◽  
Imad M. Najm ◽  
William E. Bingaman
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Mr Imaging ◽  
Surgical Management ◽  
Visual Function ◽  
Cleveland Clinic ◽  
Occipital Lobe ◽  
Visual Field Defects ◽  
Seizure Outcome ◽  
Visual Deficits ◽  
The Impact

Object Occipital resections for epilepsy are rare. Reasons for this are the relative infrequency of occipital epilepsy, difficulty in localizing epilepsy originating in the occipital lobe, imprecisely defined seizure outcome in patients treated with focal occipital resections in the MR imaging era, and concerns about producing visual deficits. The impact of lesion location on vision and seizure biology, the management decision-making process, and the outcomes following resection need elaboration. Methods The authors studied 21 consecutive patients who underwent focal occipital resections for epilepsy at Cleveland Clinic Epilepsy Center over a 13-year period during which MR imaging was used. Demographics, imaging, and data relating to the epilepsy and its surgical management were collected. The collateral sulcus, the border between the medial surface and the lateral convexity, and the inferior temporal sulcus were used to subdivide the occipital lobe into medial, lateral, and basal zones. Lesions that did not involve most or all of the occipital lobe (sublobar) were spatially categorized into these zones. Visual function, semiology, and scalp electroencephalography were evaluated in relation to these spatial categories. Preresection and postresection visual function and seizure frequency were evaluated and compared. Lastly, an exhaustive review and discussion of the published literature on occipital resections for epilepsy was carried out. Results Five lesions were lobar and 16 were sublobar. Patients with medial or lobar lesions had a much greater likelihood of preoperative visual field defects. Those with basal or lateral lesions had a greater likelihood of having a visual aura preceding some or all of their seizures and a trend (not significant) toward having a concordant lateralized onset by scalp electroencephalography. Invasive recordings were used in 8 cases. All patients had lesions (malformations of cortical development, tumors, or gliosis) that were completely resected, as evaluated on postoperative MR imaging. At last follow-up, 17 patients (81%) were seizure free or had only occasional auras (Wieser Class 1 or 2). The remaining 4 patients (19%) had a worthwhile improvement in seizure control (Class 3 or 4). Of the patients for whom both pre- and postoperative visual testing data were available, 50% suffered no new visual deficits, and 17% each developed a new quadrantanopia or a hemianopia. Conclusions Lesional occipital lobe epilepsy can be successfully managed with resection to obtain excellent seizure-free rates. Individually tailored resections (in lateral occipital lesions, for example) may help preserve intact vision in a subset of cases (38% in this series). Invasive recordings may further guide surgical decision-making as delineated by an algorithm generated by the authors. The authors' results suggest that the spatial location of the lesion correlates both with the semiology of the seizure and with the presence of visual deficit.

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